By Stephanie Wampler I walked across the floor, the crowds cheering, the woman smiling as she handed me an award. Then the crowd fell utterly silent. I turned towards the camera man, smiled, and held up my plaque. It was…

Our story last week about a fund that helps women pay for breast cancer testing and treatment pointed out cracks in the health care system. It’s not surprising that this situation exists, and while we hope the funding issues for…

By Angela Faye Martin My husband is unwittingly celebrating my month-long, albeit relative, independence from Chinese goods. He sits across from me at an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet in Sylva. Realizing that we chose Chinese, I remark, “you know, this marks…

By Sami Felmet • Columnist My muse seems to be marred in divorce and family issues lately. I think it was about this time of year that I became a single woman again. There were some surprises along the way.…

Let me say this first. This is not really a column about restaurants. The last time I wrote a column about restaurants, I suggested that Pizza Hut bring those poor young ladies holding signs on the curb out of the…

To the Editor: It’s hard to understand why working people would ever vote Republican. The Republican Party is the party of the rich … the Donald Trumps, the Sheldon Adelsons, the 1 percent. Since 1997, when the Republican congress slashed…

To the Editor: In a recent interview with David Joy in the Cashiers Crossroads Chronicle regarding a county wide barking dog ordinance, Incumbent District 4 Jackson County Commissioner Mark Jones stated that he is “... on the fence” and “……

To the Editor: Your readers may be interested to know the result of petitions signed this year by hundreds of residents of Jackson, Macon, Haywood and Swain counties. These petitions called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would…

North Carolina’s General Assembly — under the leadership of Republicans for the first time in more than a century— will hopefully refrain in the future from pushing unfunded mandates onto the backs of counties and their taxpayers. The U.S. Congress…

By Stephanie Wampler With a long flash of silver, the golf club revolved in a wide, smooth arc. The glinting club head cut through the air. Splat! It crashed against the tiny tomato and there was an explosion of juice…

By David Curtis The 21st Century arrived at the Curtis residence this past Friday. We have evolved from caveman, cavewoman and cave children into the cellular age. Yes, our foreheads no longer slant and we can now stand erect while…

There’s one fundamental reason the Southern Loop needs more discussion before it is considered a done deal — the simple fact that the citizens whose tax dollars pay for roads should, ultimately, decide the transportation future of the community in…

By Marsha Crites • Guest Columnist Much has been written in this paper and others about what is causing our gorgeous hemlock trees to die and what steps one can take to forestall or halt the disease. Rather than belabor…

By Arthur Hancock Anyone who is among the living has hope — even a live dog is better off than a dead lion. — Ecclesiastes 9:4 Do you agree with the following sentence? The survival of the human race is…

Haywood County commissioners have taken a first step forward — albeit a small one — to protect farmland in the mountains, but they and leaders in other counties need to do more. If they don’t, the region’s agriculture traditions is…

The central paradox of parenting is that by the time you have it figured out, it’s over. Now that I have written that sentence, I immediately see two flaws in it, regardless of how wise it sounds. First, parenting is…

To the Editor: Albert Einstein, who was a genius both in mathematics and in understanding human motivation, said the following: “... Leaders came to their power not by their ability to think and to make decisions, but by their faculty…

To the Editor: I live at the head of Tilley Creek, where my family has been since the early 1800s, so I have a keen interest in what happens up here. I have worked very hard since returning to my home…

To the Editor: Having read about the dispute of the barking dogs and a push for a county-wide ordinance, I have to make a comment or two regarding this issue. Number one it is always wise to look and listen…

To the Editor: Republicans in Raleigh and Washington who want to repeal the Affordable Health Care Act — and those who vote for them — would be doing away with the following benefits to us which are now in place:…

By John Beckman • Guest Columnist I’ve read the letters regarding the barking dogs issue and the responses from both sides. It’s clear to me that the central issue is not dogs at all, but how Jackson County and the…

Congress is likely to re-authorize the No Child Left Behind Act sometime this fall. If that is indeed the case, then we can only hope it makes some significant changes in this flawed bill that will help school systems use…

By Susan Leveille Editor’s note: This letter, which contains some updates, was sent by Susan Leveille to the Maggie Salas, secretary of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, in 2004. She asked that we publish it as a guest column. Dear…

By David Curtis As a teacher in the public school system I have often heard teachers express their frustrations by using the famous middle school axiom, “How do they expect us to train a wild animal if each night we…

A few years ago, I received a letter from a reader that I have never forgotten. Upset over the suicide of a former student — who I knew had long agonized over dealing with his homosexuality due to various painful…

By S. Michael Hewitt • Guest Columnist Remember the game of 20 Questions? One person thinks of a thing. A second person tries to figure out what that something is by asking a series of questions that can be answered…

Four-wheel drive enthusiasts are prepared to defend their use of the Tellico Off-Road Area in the Graham County section of the Nantahala National Forest. “There are very few places for full-size four-wheel drives,” said Heather Spivey, spokesperson for the Southern…

In this day and age, as the gap between the rich and poor continues to widen and this country’s manufacturing economy undergoes a dramatic transformation, community colleges are more important than ever.

By Arthur Hancock • Guest Columnist I had a dream that the following communication came into my hands. I read it and woke up screaming ... TOP SECRET: CLASSIFIED! TO: Osama bin Laden, Tribal Areas FROM: George W. Bush, Leader…

For the last 24 hours, I have felt like a character in a movie. You have seen the movie, probably dozens of times. A small-town team nobody has ever heard of gets its big chance against a nationally ranked powerhouse.…

By Stephanie Wampler Have you ever doubted the existence of Heaven? If so, then I will jump to the hasty conclusion that you have never picked and eaten fresh blueberries. Yes, it seems a bold statement but entirely true as…

When the new owners of the Canton paper mill announced a few weeks ago that company headquarters were being moved to Memphis, it was seen as mostly a footnote to the larger story of Blue Ridge Paper’s sale to the…

When we were having record and near record heat back in August, I did what any overheated mountain dweller would do — I packed up the family and headed to the beach. We don’t have air conditioning in our rural…

To the Editor: Both political parties say with a straight face that the other party is to blame for the “fiscal cliff” that we will face come Jan. 1, 2013. The truth is that neither party was willing to compromise…

To the Editor: In answer to the statement made two weeks ago by Lisa Weeks as to why working people would ever vote Republican, I would suggest this: simply, to keep on working. The Republican approach to government is that…

In his 1961 inaugural address, John F. Kennedy famously said, “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” Today the challenge posed by Kennedy might read: “Ask not what you…

Has any professional athlete ever made more a mess of his life than Atlanta Falcon quarterback Michael Vick? At the ripe old age of 27, Vick had it made. After a stellar senior season at Virginia Tech, Vick was drafted…

The U.S. Justice Department gave final approval last week to a new North Carolina law allowing people to register and vote on the same day during the state’s early voting period. All we’ll say is it’s about time.

By Scot Warf As past chairman of the Swain County Tourism Development Authority (TDA), I feel compelled to share with the community the events surrounding the recent hostile takeover of the Swain County TDA. In the fall of 2006, Kevin…

We are a nation of blamers. When something goes wrong, or something tragic happens we, as Americans, are quick to look for someone or something to blame. This is very apparent to most all teachers. Call out a student’s name…

To the Editor: A pair of letters in this (last) week’s Smoky Mountain News made me check the calendar to see if it was April Fool’s Day. One of them asserted that Republicans want everyone to work and aren’t the…

To the Editor: Last Saturday afternoon, Aug. 11, hundreds of people traveled to Jackson County to attend a rally which featured the North Carolina Council of State and other Democratic candidates. This rally was an historic happening, and was put…

To the Editor: What an ignorant letter (“People, not dogs, are the problem,” Aug. 1, The Smoky Mountain News) written by Mylan Sessions of Clyde. We were the second homeowners to build in our area — nice, quiet and lonely…

To the Editor: As Western North Carolina strives to attract more businesses into this area, a major selling point is the natural beauty of our mountains. Not only does this incredible natural resource promote a high quality of life, but…

To the Editor: I have been in such a state of shock over a letter published in your newspaper (“Obama wants to limit free speech rights,” Aug. 1 edition) that it has taken me this long to respond. I have…

By Charles and Cynthia Seeley • Guest Columnists I am a visitor to Maggie Valley. My husband, two friends and I chose this area of the North Carolina mountains as our vacation destination by pure chance. Our goal was to…

To the Editor: I have always had a problem with numbers, I joke that numbers traumatized me at an early age. One number that baffles me is the unemployment numbers. See if you can figure this out: using a low…

To the Editor: A recent area letter writer cautioned us to dig for truth and find facts before we go to the polls. What wonderful advice. However, she should have taken her own counsel and stopped immediately at the end of…

To the Editor: Recently, the Macon County League of Women Voters started a membership campaign and in our invitation, we stated that at campaign forums conducted by the League, to maintain the spirit of a non parti-san informational forum, there should…

To the Editor: A recent letter to the editor in another newspaper criticized Sen. Jim Davis’ supporters for wearing red T-shirts at the League of Women Voters Aug. 9 public candidate forum, calling it “red shirt tactics.” The letter writer…

To the Editor: Here are some questions that need to be addressed to the people who are leading our country and our state or who are seeking office in 2012. Are you a free market capitalist or a big government…

To the Editor: I have been out of town so I am late in responding to my neighbor, Joanna Swanson’s diatribe of Aug. 1, detailing Obama’s “wants.” Regardless of the manner by which politicians garner votes, they generally fit the…

Count me among those who hope the MedWest affiliation between Haywood, Jackson and Swain hospitals survives. Otherwise, I fear none of the three hospitals will survive, but instead be swallowed up or severely marginalized in within a decade. It’s been…

To the Editor: This letter is in defense of the work and research done at the Bent Creek Southeastern Forest Experiment Station in Asheville, work that is largely sustained by funding from the federal government. As a small woodlot owner…

To the Editor: I acknowledge Martin Dyckman’s well-written letter in the Aug. 15 issue. He challenged my letter (8/8/12) by bringing up several points against the Republican Party worth investigating further. The letter motivated me to research the points…

To the Editor: For many years, it has been the tradition in Haywood County and other Western North Carolina counties to allow organizations such as the Sons of Confederate Veterans to place Confederate flags at monuments and memorials to recognize…

To the Editor: I can’t hardly stand to read the letters to the editor anymore. Civil discourse, the backbone of any democracy, has sunk to a new low here and across the country. Name-calling, overgeneralization, and denigration have become the new norm. Whatever…

Even though there’s little room for compromise, I’m going to step into the fray. Haywood County commissioners are trying to come up with a policy about Confederate flags and whether they should be allowed at the Confederate memorial that adorns…

Last week Jackson County commissioners passed what is being called the strongest set of development regulations in North Carolina. They’ve set a standard for other counties to follow, and we think they’ve accomplished this in a manner that won’t hurt…

By Brett Martin Western North Carolina is rich with great literature written on the region, and there are still a few jewels that have gone largely unnoticed or are forgotten. One of these would have to be Eliot Porter’s Appalachian…

By John Armour If you’ve read many of these columns you know I’m addicted to politics. My spouse, among others, tells me from time to time to cut it out. You may also know I live in a restored farmhouse…

By David Curtis As a schoolteacher you always wonder how your students will remember you. “She was a good teacher, but she smelled like garlic,” was my daughter’s comment when the name of a former teacher came up in conversation.

What’s in a name? What about Scat? Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Maybe. Shakespeare seemed to think so at least. But what about, um, fecal matter? Would it too retain its aromatic qualities under other…

There are serious problems with the energy legislation passed this session in the North Carolina General Assembly, but the bill also marks a watershed moment for North Carolina and the Southeast — this state is now the first in the…

By Sami Felmet • Guest Columnist The birds and the bees. We’re losing them, you know. How will we explain reproduction without them? Maybe it’s easier now with so much sex on TV and in the movies. Is it any…

It used to be the “revenooers” who were considered the most vile characters in the mountains, but now we have a new villain — the evil developer who swoops in with wads of cash and turns beautiful mountaintops and river…

My dad hated the beach. At least, that is how I remember it. We only went a couple of times during my childhood, and I cannot recall a single instance of my father actually ever being in the ocean playfully…

To the Editor: Believing in the power of women’s votes, here are some facts that we are facing in November. We have heard the GOP war on women dominate the news while delaying action that is imperative to the quickly…

To the Editor: I find nothing wrong with your article, “Confederates in the attic” (Aug. 29 edition, www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion) unlike certain others. It seems, however, that those who make the most noise about their rights not being respected are the very…

To the Editor: In regards to your column last week, let me make some points. You wrote: “If someone gets pissed off because a flag used by a country — the Confederacy — that wanted to keep people in slavery…

Since I was old enough to talk, I’ve been told that being an American was something special, something I could take great pride and assurances in, and that my dreams and aspirations were indeed possible here in the land of…

I really don’t think we are as stupid as they think we are. Developers of commercial retail shopping centers have an unfounded hang up about planting trees in front of, or in the parking lot of, shopping centers being developed.…

A coin toss. That’s what decided the race for mayor two years ago in the Jackson County town of Forest Hills. It was an election that featured an evenly divided electorate and ended with the kind of flair usually found…

By Marshall Frank As of this writing, five presidential debates — three Republican and two Democratic — have been held, ostensibly offering the American people a chance at learning the positions of each candidate and to evaluate their presidential gravitas.…

By John Hood • Guest Columnist The North Carolina General Assembly seems poised to enact a new $300 million tax increase on North Carolinians this year, even though the tax burden has risen nearly every year since 2001.

By David Curtis The cows ate my corn. My corn is Silver Queen sweet corn. It’s an 80-day corn, which means that in approximately 80 days from the date you plant it your corn should be ready to pick and…

As the war in Iraq drags on with no end in sight amid reports that al-Qaeda has regrouped and is stronger than ever, you would think that the presidential race for 2008 would be picking up momentum as Americans, finally…

By Arthur Hancock • Guest Columnist With 70 percent of Americans now disapproving of the way George W. Bush is doing his job, maybe a little soul-searching on the part of the now-disillusioned Bush supporter is in order. “How could…

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has known it needed a new visitors center on the North Carolina side of the park since the early 1980s. Finally, it appears the nation’s most-visited national park is going to get one, and…

By Linda Watson • Guest Columnist Recently, a member of my family was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease at Duke University. This diagnosis came after a nightmarish struggle to obtain proper diagnosis from local and regional physicians, all of…

Since North Carolina is having such a hard time finding enough teachers, one place education leaders might look for help seems obvious — lottery proceeds. As the state pores over information from the first full year of the gambling games…

When most of us here in Western North Carolina go for a hike on the Appalachian Trail, hunt or fish in the national forest, enjoy a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, or visit the Carl Sandburg Home, we…

By Kenn Jacobine • Guest Columnist According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, we are about to enter another recession. Of course, one would be hard-pressed to convince the over 20 million Americans who remain unemployed or…

To the Editor: The 2012 campaign illustrates two oft-quoted maxims: that war is a continuation of politics by other means, and that truth is the first casualty of war. It’s more than the usual question about which party will occupy…

To the Editor: As a full-time resident of Maggie Valley, I am shocked at the shenanigans taking place in our town over the selection of a replacement for Alderman Phil Aldridge who resigned in August. I think that the people…

To the Editor: While I support the display of the Confederate flag or the Ten Commandments as a means of individual personal opinion, neither should be displayed on property we the people own together. The beginning of the end of the Civil…

To the Editor: You printed an interesting, however misguided, guest column in the Sept. 5 issue. John Beckman (“Proud to be an American … sort of,” www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/8558) spends three columns lamenting the state of the country but then at the…

To the Editor: Some like to claim that ours is a Christian nation. But this was not the intent of our Founding Fathers. While a majority of our citizens may identify themselves as Christian (as do I), there is nothing…